by Cas Peace
Rykan stared at her, seeing no remorse and knowing he was doomed. She had all but sucked him dry and he had no resistance left, no defenses against her taking that last fundamental spark of psyche that made him who he was.
Suddenly, her expression softened.
“Yet I will have mercy on you, my Lord. For I am not like you, and even now, after all you have done, I will not become like you. I will not leave you naked, helpless, and torn, the way you left me, to die shivering and terrified in the dark.”
Slowly, gently, causing him no further pain, she extracted the final thread of his psyche. She knew that the watchers around the arena had no indication of the dreadful suffering she had to endure in order to absorb his soul. It was alien, strange, it did not fit anywhere inside her and it made her feel foul. She wished she could cast it from her, but she needed it, at least for a while.
Weakly, her left arm hanging by her side, she staggered to her feet. Rykan still lay half-slumped on the ground, his features slack, his eyes dull and staring. There was still a spark of intelligence there—she had left him a shred of his mind—but the shock of her violation rendered him numb.
She walked unsteadily to where her sword had come to rest. “Now you understand how it feels, my Lord.” Reaching down, she took the blade into her right hand and approached him once more.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered, his dull eyes unmoving.
Furious that he had the gall to repent after all he had done, she hissed, “How dare you! It is too late for rue, my Lord, far too late!”
Standing before him, she stared down at her father’s blade, its bright edge stained with Rykan’s blood. “No,” she murmured, “I will not dishonor this blade with yet more Andaryan blood.”
Rykan’s eyes flashed briefly as his terror resurfaced. He understood she was going to kill him and welcomed it, but this refusal to use her sword panicked him anew. She laid the blade awkwardly on the grass and reached instead for Rykan’s heavier weapon. Carefully, she pulled him to his knees, his head hanging, his eyes closed. There was no resistance, no defiance or fight left in him. She had stripped him of everything. Stepping back, she regarded him critically.
Groaning with pain, she brought her left hand round, using her right to clasp the charred fingers around Rykan’s sword hilt. She held them there by covering them with her other hand. Without a thought, she damped the agony of shattered wrist bones and raised the heavy sword high past her right shoulder. Taking a deep breath, she gathered what little strength she had left.
* * * * *
At that precise moment, Taran was lying bound and gagged over his horse’s withers, a knife of spellsilver thrust through the ropes against his skin. He saw nothing. Had he seen it, he would have recognized the stroke Sullyan used to sever Rykan’s head. It was the same stroke he had used to kill Jaskin. He would have approved of the way she handled it and the neat, efficient job it made of striking off the defeated lord’s head.
But he didn’t see it, and he had no idea how the contest had ended. He didn’t see the Hierarch, along with Robin, now freed from Anjer’s arms, run to catch the exhausted woman who collapsed, shaking, in the gory aftermath of Rykan’s killing. He didn’t see her anguish as the two men supported her in their arms. He didn’t hear the cry she gave as she summed up Rykan’s power, the power that should have been equal to hers, the power that should have been sufficient to remove the poison eating into her soul.
“It is not enough, Timar, it is not enough! I took all he had to give, but it is not enough!”
He did not see her, defeated and despairing, sink into hopeless oblivion.
The End
Glossary
Albian Characters
Amanus Elijah. Taran’s deceased father. An Artesan Adept.
Bethyn Sullyan. Major Sullyan’s mother, now deceased.
Bull, aka Bulldog, aka Hal Bullen. Major Sullyan’s aide.
Cal Tyler. Taran’s Artesan Apprentice.
Dexter. A sergeant at the Manor under Captain Tamsen.
Elias Rovannon. Albia’s High King.
Falkerk. Weaponsmaster at the Manor.
Goran. Master cook at the Manor.
Hal Bullen. See ‘Bull.’
Hanan. Chief Healer at the Manor.
Hyram. General Blaine’s valet.
Jessy. Sister to Robin Tamsen, now deceased.
Mathias Blaine. The Manor’s senior officer and General-in-Command to High King Elias.
Morgan Sullyan. Major Sullyan’s father, now deceased.
Parren. A captain at the Manor.
Rienne Arlen. A healer, and Cal’s lover.
Robin Tamsen. A captain at the Manor under Major Sullyan.
Solet. The Manor’s stablemaster.
Sullyan. A major at the Manor under General Blaine.
Tad Greylin. Young kitchen boy at the Manor.
Taran Elijah. An Artesan who is desperate to learn his craft.
The Baron. Mysterious ally of Rykan, Duke of Kymer.
Andaryan Characters
Aeyron Pharikian. The Hierarch of Andaryon’s son and Heir.
Almid. One of a pair of giant twins, members of Ky-shan’s pirate band.
Anjer, Lord General. General in overall command of the Hierarch’s forces.
Arif. A lieutenant in Rykan’s forces.
Arlow. An Andaryan Baron, chamberlain to the previous Hierarch.
Barrin. A lieutenant in the Hierarch’s forces.
Calder. A jailor at Duke Rykan’s palace.
Deshan. The Hierarch’s Master Healer, also a Master Artesan.
Ephan. A general in the Hierarch’s forces, overall commander of the Velletian Guard.
Falina (Lady). The wife of General Kryp.
Gaslek. An Andaryan Baron, secretary to the Hierarch.
Harva. Marik’s elderly former nursemaid.
Heron. Sonten’s Artesan commander.
Hollet (Lady). The wife of General Ephan.
Idriana. The Hierarch’s wife, now deceased.
Idrimar Pharikian. The Hierarch’s daughter.
Is-kel. A member of Ky-shan’s pirate band.
Jaskin. Sonten’s nephew, who was killed by Taran.
Jay’el. Son of pirate leader Ky-shan.
Kester. One of a pair of giant twins, members of Ky-shan’s pirate band.
Ki-en. Younger member of Ky-shan’s pirate band.
Kryp. A general in the Hierarch’s forces.
Ky-shan. The leader of a band of pirates from Andaryon’s eastern seaboard.
Nazir. A minor noble in Count Marik’s court.
Reece. One of Duke Rykan’s commanders.
Rykan. Duke, Lord of Kymer province, and aspirant to the Andaryan throne.
Selmar Pharikian. Timar Pharikian’s older brother, Heir to the Andaryan throne before his death.
Sh’iye. A member of Ky-shan’s pirate band.
Sonten. Duke Rykan’s ambitious general. Lord of Durkos province.
Tikhal. An Andaryan lord, also known as the Lord of the North. Pharikian’s premier noble.
Timar Pharikian. The Hierarch, Supreme Ruler of Andaryon.
Torien (Lady). The wife of Lord General Anjer.
Ty Marik. Count of Cardon province under Rykan.
Vanyr. Commander of the Velletian Guard, the Hierarch’s personal Guard.
Verris. A commander in Rykan’s forces, now deceased.
Xeer. A member of Ky-shan’s pirate band.
Realms of the World
First Realm—Endormir
Endormirians are sometimes known as ‘Roamerlings’ because of their itinerant habits. They are small and slim, dark skinned, with brown or black eyes showing hardly any whites. The Artesan gift runs only through the males, and gifted males always become clan-leaders. As Endomir suffers from severe winter conditions, its people cross the Veils into the other realms for the winter months, where they are well known as traders.
Second Realm—Sinnia
Sinnians are tall
and milk-haired, with pale skin. They live in clans and were once nomadic but now live in settlements. All are born able to control their metaforce up to the rank of Adept and are thus considered ‘sports’. Their race often produces highly gifted musicians and storytellers.
Third Realm—Relkor
Relkorians are small, fierce and stocky, notorious for raiding the other realms for slaves to work their mines and quarries. Their Artesans, both male and female, invariably become slave-lords.
Fourth Realm—Albia
Albia is the human realm. The Artesan gift runs through both male and female lines, each gender being equal in potential. The craft is currently out of favour due to raiding by both Relkorian and Andaryan Artesans. Albians widely believe that all Artesans use their powers only for gain and control.
Fifth Realm—Andaryon
A warlike race characterised by eyes with slit pupils. They fight constantly amongst themselves, vying for position within the Hierocracy. The Artesan gift passes only through the male line and females play a minor and downtrodden role. Only the most powerful Artesan can become and hold the rank of Hierarch. Their battles for supremacy are governed by strict, ritualistic laws.
Terms
Artesan. A person born with the ability to control metaforce and master the four primal elements.
Brine-rum. Strong liquor, drunk by pirates on Andaryon’s eastern seaboard.
Codes of Combat. Strict laws governing any conflict between Andaryan nobles.
Demons. Derogatory term used in Albia to describe those of the Andaryan race.
Earth ball. An explosive sphere of Earth element formed by an Artesan for use as a weapon.
Fellan. A dark, aromatic and bitter beverage brewed from the seeds of the fellan-plant.
Firefield. A barrier formed from the primal element of Fire, through which only Artesans can pass. Firefields formed by those of inferior Artesan rank can easily be destroyed by those of a higher rank.
Firewater. Incredibly strong liquor.
Free traders. Another term for pirate.
Kingsman. Term used to describe members of the High King’s fighting forces.
Metaforce (also called life force). The force of existence pertaining to all things, both animate and inanimate.
Perdition. A state of non-being for the soul—a place where souls with no ultimate destination reside.
Primal elements. Earth, Water, Fire and Air.
Primal Sacrament. Andaryan name for the Pact, an agreement brokered between Andaryan nobles. Used to settle wars ending in stalemate, it involves the willing suicide of a powerful Artesan.
Portway. Structure formed by an Artesan from a primal element—usually Earth or Water—which gives its creator access through the Veils.
Psyche. An Artesan’s unique and personal pattern through which they can manipulate metaforce and channel the primal elements.
Roamerling. Slightly derogatory term for the nomads of Endormir.
Sally port. A small door within a larger fortified barrier, allowing only one person to pass through at a time.
Substrate. The medium in which the primal elements reside, and in which the world and all things have their being.
Tangwyr. Monstrous Andaryan raptor trained to hunt men.
The Pact. Widely believed to have been brokered in Andaryon by an Albian Master-elite, in order to reduce Andaryan raids on Albia. Apparently supported by the current Hierarch.
The Staff. Mysterious and terrible weapon capable of stealing and storing metaforce. Can only be used by Artesans.
The Veils. Misty barriers separating the five Realms of the World. Only Artesans have the power to move through the Veils.
The Void. Dark abyss at the end of life into which all souls pass before reaching their final destination.
The Wheel. Central principle of Albian faith.
Witch. Derogatory term for an Artesan.
Artesan ranks and their attributes
Level one: Apprentice. Person born with the Artesan gift and the ability to influence the first primal element of Earth. Able to hear other Artesans speaking telepathically but unable to initiate such speech.
Level two: Apprentice-elite. Has some skill in influencing their own metaforce. Has attained mastery over the element of Earth. Able to initiate telepathic speech but only with Artesans already known to them. Able to build substrate structures, identify a person by the pattern of their psyche, and counter metaphysical attack to some degree.
Level three: Journeyman. Has mastery over Earth and is able to influence Water. Able to build portways and travel through the Veils. Has some skill in using metaforce for offense. Also able to initiate psyche-overlay and converse telepathically with any other Artesan. Possesses some self-healing potential.
Level four: Adept. Has mastery over both Earth and Water. Able to build more complex substrate structures such as corridors. Able to influence where such structures emerge. Possesses stronger offensive and defensive capabilities. Able to merge psyche fully with other Artesans. Increased healing abilities.
Level five: Adept-elite. Has mastery over Earth and Water and is able to influence Fire. Possesses great healing powers which can even aid the ungifted (with their permission). Able to initiate powersinks and merges of psyche. Able to construct such structures as Firefields.
Level six: Master. Has mastery over Earth, Water and Fire. Able to control the power of an inferior Artesan against their will. Control over personal metaforce now almost total. Possesses incredible healing powers.
Level seven: Master-elite. Has mastery over Earth, Water and Fire and is able to influence Air, the most capricious primal element. Able to absorb a lesser or even equal-ranked Artesan’s power and metaforce provided some link or permission (however tenuous) can be found.
Level eight: Senior Master. Has complete mastery over all four primal elements. Is able to absorb another Artesan’s power by force, even sometimes without a link. Possesses a high degree of metaphysical (and usually spiritual) strength.
Level nine: Supreme Master. It has never been fully established whether this rank actually exists. Supreme Masters are supposedly able to influence Spirit - largely regarded as the mythical ‘fifth element.’ Ancient texts refer only to the possibility; no mention has ever been found of a being attaining Supreme Masterhood.
Sport or lay-Artesan. Freaks of nature, sports are thought to be able to control their own metaforce from birth, to whatever level of strength they inherently possess. As they receive no training their working is often undetectable. They are also believed to be able to ‘hear’ the thoughts of those around them; gifted or ungifted, and directly, not through the substrate.
Cas Peace
Cas Peace was born and brought up in the lovely county of Hampshire, in the UK, where she still lives. On leaving school, she trained for two years before qualifying as a teacher of equitation. During this time she also learned to carriage-drive. She spent thirteen years in the British Civil Service before moving to Rome, where she and her husband, Dave, lived for three years. They return whenever they can.
As well as her love of horses, Cas is mad about dogs, especially Lurchers. She enjoys dog agility training and currently owns two rescue Lurchers, Milly and Milo. Milly has already had some success in the agility ring, and Milo will begin competing in late 2011. Cas loves country walks, working in stained glass and folk singing. She has also written a nonfiction book, “For the Love of Daisy,” which tells the life story of her beautiful Dalmatian. Details and other information can be found on her website, www.caspeace.com.
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